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Doctor Who announces Broadchurch actress as first female Doctor

The BBC has listened

It only took 13, but Doctor Who has finally named its first female Doctor.

Jodie Whittaker, the actress best known for her work in the BBC drama Broadchurch, was announced today by the BBC. The current Doctor, Peter Capaldi, will step down from the role after the upcoming Christmas special. Capaldi joined the series in 2014 and announced earlier this year that he would leave at the end of 2017.

In a one-minute video that BBC One tweeted, Whittaker can be seen removing the hood of her cloak as she walks toward the Tardis in the middle of the forest.

Whittaker’s casting marks the first time that a white man hasn’t been chosen for the role of the Doctor, a character who regularly regenerates his form. People have been campaigning for years to have a woman in the main role — as opposed to standing beside the Doctor as a companion. Fans have also petitioned to get a person of color into the main role.